Personal computers continue to become both more popular and more indispensable, in part because of the ability to connect personal computers to communications networks and other devices that greatly expand the resources available to the user. For example, local area networks (LANs) enable personal computer users to share resources such as printers, storage devices, and high-speed Internet access points, so that users can cost effectively share resources over wired and wireless LANs in businesses, schools, and homes. With the ever increasing popularity of—and dependence on—personal computer communications, most personal computers sold today include built-in Ethernet and telephone modem communication ports.
FIG. 1 (prior art) illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a typical telephone communications interface 100 that is representative of many personal computers in use today. Telephone communications interface 100 facilitates communication between a computer bus 102 and telephone network 130. A typical telephone communications interface 100 includes an analog front end (AFE) 110, a digital isolation barrier 112, a data access arrangement (DAA) 114, a number of discrete components 116, and one or more ports 120a and 120b. AFE 110, which performs both analog-to-digital conversion and digital to analog conversion and is therefore commonly referred to as a coder/decoder (CODEC), is configured with the protocols and data rates supported by telephone communications interface 100. Conventionally, the data protocols and data rates are hard wired into an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), which allows for rapid processing of data communications without adding communications overhead to the computer. Digital isolation barrier 112 provides voltage surge protection to AFE 110, bus 102, and the rest of the computing system (not shown), protecting against voltage surges that might appear on communication lines that are coupled to telephone communications interface 100 via telephone system port 120a and telephone device port 120b. DAA 114 provides a physical interface to external systems and commonly includes line monitoring and detection equipment to determine if a communication line is available, to detect ringing signals, detect caller ID, and to send and receive the actual data communications.
Telephone communications interface 100 couples to telephone network 130 via telephone system port 120a. Telephone system port 120a typically includes a standard RJ-11 jack and is coupled with DAA 114 via a number of discrete components 116 that, among other functions, provide persistent switching between telephone system port 120a and telephone device port 120b, as described in further detail below. Thus, a computing system (not shown) is able to communicate via bus 102 over telephone network 130 using telephone communications interface 100.
Telephone device port 120b typically comprises an additional RJ-11 jack to which a telephone device 140 can be connected and is generally provided as a convenience. Telephone communications interface 100 enables the computing system (not shown) to communicate with telephone network 130 via telephone system port 120a, but provides no communication capability between the computing system and telephone device 140. Telephone device port 120b is provided to enable a user to make use of telephone device 140 to communicate over telephone network 130 when the computing device is not employing telephone communications interface 100. Discrete components 116 disconnect telephone device port 120b from the rest of telephone communications interface 100 when the computing system is using telephone communications interface 100 to communicate over telephone network 130. On the other hand, when the computing system is not using telephone communications interface 100 to communicate over telephone network 130, discrete components 116 couple telephone device 140 to telephone network 130. Therefore, when telephone network 130 and telephone device 140 are connected with telephone communications interface 100, a user can employ the computing system to communicate over telephone network 130, or use telephone device 140 to communicate over telephone network 130, without having to connect, disconnect, and reconnect telephone cables.
In addition, discrete components 116 maintains a persistent connection between telephone device port 120b and telephone system port 120a when a personal computing system is shut off. As a result, again without having to connect, disconnect, and reconnect telephone cables, a user can use telephone device 140 to communicate over telephone network 130 transparently to the presence of the computing system and telephone communications interface 100.
In the configuration of telephone communications interface 100 shown in FIG. 1, telephone device port 120b is provided only as a convenience for telephone device 140. Telephone communications interface 100 does not provide any way for the telephone device to be used with the computing system or to do anything except be coupled to telephone network 130 when telephone communications interface 100 is not using telephone network 130 for data communications with the computing system. Telephone communications interface 100 is not equipped to employ telephone device 140 as a general audio input/output device. Telephone communications interface 100 is neither configured to provide the power needed to operate telephone device 140, nor is configured to match the impedance of the speaker and microphone of telephone device 140 as needed to use the telephone device for input or output. Furthermore, in some telephone communication interfaces 100, because telephone device port 120b is effectively disconnected when the telephone communication interface is being used for data communications, if telephone device 140 is mistakenly connected to telephone system port 120a, and telephone network 130 is connected to telephone device port 120b, telephone communications interface 100 will be unable to connect to telephone network 130 for data communications.
FIGS. 2A-2C (all prior art) illustrate additional problems arising from conventional computer communications interfaces. FIG. 2A illustrates a workstation 200 and illustrates issues that may attend hooking up even a basic personal computer 210 and telephone device 240 to telephone and communications networks. Personal computer 210 is engaged through the use of a monitor 230 and keyboard 236. Monitor 230 is coupled to personal computer 210 using a monitor cable 232 and a monitor connector 234. Similarly, keyboard 236 connects to personal computer 210 using a keyboard cable 238 and a keyboard connector 239. A wall plate 220 provides a telephone jack 222a, and a data jack 222b, such as an Ethernet port. One end of telephone cable network cable 250 is plugged into telephone jack 222a, while the other end presents a telephone network connector 254. Similarly, one end of network cable 260 is plugged into data jack 222b, while the other end has a network connector 264. Telephone device cable 242 thus extends from telephone device 240 to telephone device connector 244.
As FIG. 2A shows, and as is well known to many computer users, properly connecting all the cables to a back panel 270 (FIG. 2B) of personal computer 210 presents a challenge, particularly if the back of the computer is not readily accessible or is not well lighted. Fortunately, some of the connectors, such as keyboard connector 239 and monitor connector 234, are easily differentiable from each other by size, shape, and/or color, and often only can fit in the appropriate jack on back panel 270 of personal computer 210. In contrast, properly connecting personal computer 210 to telephone and network service and telephone device 240 may be much more difficult. Typical telephone connectors, such as telephone device connector 244 and telephone network connector 254, are both modular RJ-11 connectors that may be indistinguishable from one another in the jumble of cables behind workstation 200. Furthermore, network connectors such as network connector 264, employ modular RJ-45 connectors. As is widely understood, RJ-11 and RJ-45 connectors have very similar appearances. RJ-45 connectors support more leads than RJ-11 connectors and are slightly wider. However, the depth of both connectors is the same, and both present lines on one side and a securing tab on the opposite side. In fact, by design, RJ-11 and RJ-45 connectors are sufficiently similar that an RJ-11 connector can be received and secured by the securing tab in an RJ-45 jack, which can cause substantial problems.
As a result, even if someone were sufficiently careful to properly connect telephone network cable 250 and network cable 260 to appropriate jacks 222a and 222b, respectively (after possibly mistakenly inserting telephone network cable 250 into data jack 222b and not realizing it until noting that the remaining network connector 264 does not fit into the remaining jack, i.e., telephone jack 220a), correctly completing the installation may be difficult. As already indicated, the user may be working in a cramped space under or behind workstation 200, and may not readily be able to move personal computer 210 to more directly access back face 270. Indeed, even after turning personal computer 210 to access back face 270, the task may be challenging. As shown in FIG. 2B, on communications connector area 272a, there are at least three nearly identical jacks 274 in close proximity to one another. Connecting the appropriate cables to the appropriate jacks requires very close inspection of back panel 270.
FIG. 2C shows an enlarged view of communications connector area 272b. A network adapter 280 presents a network jack 274a to which network cable connector 264 (FIG. 2A) should be connected. As described above, however, network jack 274a can accommodate an RJ-11 connector, so the installer needs to be careful not to mistakenly plug telephone network connector 254 or telephone device connector 244 into network jack 274a. Because ring signals present a relatively high voltage, it is conceivable that such a mistaken connection result in damage to network adapter 280 and/or personal computer 210. Even if network connector 264 is properly connected to network jack 274a, the user must be careful to properly connect telephone network connector 254 and telephone device connector 244 to telephone network jack 274b and telephone device jack 274c, respectively, or telephone communications adapter 290 may not be functional for data communications, as described above. The only way to differentiate between the otherwise identical jacks is to read a usually tiny, pressed or etched “LINE” label 292 and a “PHONE” label 294 that usually appear on the back of telephone communications adapter 290. In sum, the number and similarity of jacks 274 on personal computer can make it frustrating and difficult to properly connect personal computer 210 to desired communications facilities.
The problem in connecting personal computer 210 (FIGS. 2A-2B) is also experienced by users of portable laptop and notebook computers, although the ports on these smaller computers are easier to access. FIG. 3A (prior art) shows a portable computer 300 which, as is typical of portable computers, includes on one or more sides or on the back, a connectivity area 310a presenting a plurality of connection ports 320. FIG. 3B (prior art) shows an enlarged view 310b of the ports, which include a headphone jack 320a, a microphone jack 320b, an Ethernet jack 320c, and a telephone network jack 320d. As will readily be understood, there is a strong emphasis or priority on designing notebook and laptop computers to be as compact and inexpensive as possible. Both space and cost considerations make it desirable to have the fewest number of ports. As a result, no telephone device jack (FIG. 2C) is provided, and the proximity of Ethernet jack 320c and telephone network jack 320d make it challenging to plug an RJ-11 telephone service connector into the correct jack. Similarly, because most standard headphone and microphone jacks are the same size, only by carefully checking color coding and/or labels around the base of headphone jack 320a and microphone jack 320b can a user keep from transposing the plugs inserted therein.
Despite the numerous complications in connecting a computing system to communications systems and other devices described above, there are other concerns beyond the difficulty of making the correct physical connections. As one example, there are many businesses, hotels, and other establishments where a user might like to use the telephone communications adapter, but may not be able to do so because of the nature of the telephone system provided in those establishments. Similarly, although Ethernet is a highly popular network topology, many other topologies, such as integrated services data networks (ISDN), are also in use. While many personal computers come with standard Ethernet connectivity, adding an ISDN adapter involves additional cost and consumes available bus expansion slots or PCMCIA slots. Further, the forthcoming power-over-Ethernet standard offers the advantage of providing power and network connectivity over an Ethernet cable, but existing Ethernet adapters will be not be equipped to take advantage of the new topology.
It would thus be highly desirable to make the connectivity of communications systems and other devices to computing systems simpler and more versatile. Specifically, it would be desirable to simplify the process of physically interconnecting communications systems and other devices to computing systems to avoid the confusion and frustration often experienced by users. It would be highly desirable to enable ports to be automatically reconfigurable to whatever type of communication plug that is inserted by the user, or to accept I/O connections using new or different protocols.